Working on Flow

matthew2000tx · 03-15-2007, 12:36 AM

I have about 5 years off and on playing acoustic guitar. I've only played Christian music during those years.

Recently I have been given the chance to play at a Saturday night bible study. I want to take my worship set up a notch. I usually get an idea for the songs that I want to play and then practice a little.

I would like to my the transitions between the songs smoother and I desire the ability to allow the Spirit go God to flow during worship, however I have limited experience leading worship in such a setting.

What are some tips you can offer to help with transitions and the flow.

Thanks,

gtrdave · 03-15-2007, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matthew2000tx

I have about 5 years off and on playing acoustic guitar. I've only played Christian music during those years.

Recently I have been given the chance to play at a Saturday night bible study. I want to take my worship set up a notch. I usually get an idea for the songs that I want to play and then practice a little.

I would like to my the transitions between the songs smoother and I desire the ability to allow the Spirit go God to flow during worship, however I have limited experience leading worship in such a setting.

What are some tips you can offer to help with transitions and the flow.

Thanks,

Practical - it helps to be comfortable enough with "music" to be able to smoothly modulate keys between songs if needed. Large interval jumps from song to song can be jarring when done abruptly.
I'll also sometimes either reprise the chorus/verse of a prior song or begin the next song with a chorus/verse but done at a slower tempo. This seems to work best when transitioning from fast to slower songs.

Spiritual - combined with the above, a short prayer or a related Scripture reading between songs can add a flow but too much is, imho, a bad thing...not much else distracts me from listening to God as someone else talking between every song.
Someone once told me to follow the rule "If God hasn't led you to say anything, don't".

Practical and Spiritual - the biggest contributor to flow, to me, is pre-service rehearsal of the songs and time spent in private worship of God. I tell ya, nothing says "worship" like a musician fumbling over themselves and their music, starring at a paper on a stand with that look of utter confusion during a song with a G - C - D chord progression...
Seriously, it's said that God equips those whom He calls and that's true for those who heed the call but it seems far too common for some folks to think that their lackadaisical efforts will be rewarded with the "Holy Spirit showing up" and saving them from being completely unprepared and it's just not true.
Had it been so, Jesus would have told the disciples at the start of their 3 year journey "Hey guys, Ima go out and preach and do miracles and such...y'all just chill, maybe get back to that fishing thing that you do, and you'll learn everything that I need to teach you via long-distance-osmosis..."

Spend time with God with just you and the guitar and some songs of praise and they will eventually flow out of you.

ibanez_dude · 03-15-2007, 12:55 PM

Whatever you do, don't abrubtly end a song. And when you strum the final chord in a song, let it ring out. Don't mute it, especially right away, cause that is just really awkward.

psalm63adam · 03-15-2007, 02:51 PM

If you want good flow between songs, I would make sure that they are in the same key or at least a key that's close. I would also know the songs well enough to not have to flip pages or anything like that.

ibanez_dude · 03-15-2007, 03:14 PM

IMO, I don't think that the same key is neccesary. it can be nice at times, but I don't want to play a set all in the same key anyway. Just make the transition between the songs peaceful not awkward, and you should be fine. I would definitely recomend knowing all the songs without the lead sheet. That is so enormously helpful, plus there isn't much more awkward than flipping through your pages desparately to try and find something.

matthew2000tx · 03-15-2007, 03:28 PM

I do need the lead sheet on some of the newer songs but I try to sandwich those in with the ones that I don't need lead sheet for. I use post it notes to create tabs for when I am using the sheet music. I number each post it note so I can easily flip to the next song in the set. Thanks for all the input.

If anyone has more input please share

irtrogdor · 03-15-2007, 03:38 PM

having them all in the same key is not nessecary, especially with only one instrument. there is a way to transition between keys musically and nicely. i don't know how to do it, but someone here probably does. if you find out, i'd like to know to.

gtrdave · 03-15-2007, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irtrogdor

having them all in the same key is not nessecary, especially with only one instrument. there is a way to transition between keys musically and nicely. i don't know how to do it, but someone here probably does. if you find out, i'd like to know to.

Having a basic understanding of theory is step 1, including understanding diatonic-based chord progressions and simple chord substitution.

telecasting · 03-15-2007, 04:07 PM

There are key change charts you can get, but I think most of the time they err on the side of cheese. To be honest, most of the songs I would use in a worship set I would take to the same key, and if you have one in E and one in D, dependant on the songs, I would take them both down to D, or meet at Eb.

If you do stop in the middle, don't be nervous. I think the best way to go about it is just to have confidence that the Holy Spirit is leading the worship anyway, and so people are responding individually to what He is doing.

I often flip through the book if I get the feeling to sing a particular song. If i'm on my own, I would maybe read a passage that God has been calling me to share during the day (which I would normally pray about and write down or something) or say a prayer if i'm having to stop playing. If you've got other people leading as well, get them to play something subtle. Most of all, I would recommend and endorse going into every worship situation knowing that even the high standards of man will never meet with the standard of God, but in His grace the worst of sinners can come and eat at His table, and so even if the worship stunk from your perspective, He turns that into something that is powerful in His ministry. God bless you and all the best.

Joe F · 03-15-2007, 06:59 PM

There are many ways to transition from one song to the next based on the original key and the new key and how long you want to take to get there.

The quickest down and dirty way without a lot of fanfare is to simply go to the chord that is the 5th of the new key, suspend it, then drop the suspension and then hit the new key. If you can count out scale steps to note names it's pretty simple.

For example lets say I end a song that is the key of G. More than likely the last chord will be G. Now I want to go to a new song that is in the key of D, and most likely D will be the first chord.

G (Song End) Transition - Asus - A - D (New song beginning)

A more complete transition might be: G - Em7 - Asus - A - D but just dropping in the suspended 5th of the new song can get you by. Some folks like the flavor of the 7 chords and might use an A7 before hitting the D.

Here's why A is the 5th. Use the major scale. Start at D. You get D(1) (E)2 (F#)3 (G)4 A(5)

Here's another simple example. Ending a song in G, starting a new song in C. I'll use the 5th of C. Here we have a case where the last chord in the first song just happens to end on what is the 5th of the new song. I could just barge right into the key of C song, but to do it a little more gently...

(End) G Transition G7sus - G7 - C (Beginning)

G is the 5th of C because if you follow the C major scale, it goes like this C(1) D(2) E(3) F(4) G(5)

I'm a little rusty at explaining this as it's been a few centuries since I studied theory, but at least that's how I recall it. After playing for so long, I rarely think about what I am actually doing and just "flow" it.

If you don't know your scales, learn to identify the note under your finger when you fret a string.

Place your finger on any fret. On the next string closest to your chin if you fret at the same place, that note is your 5th. If instead you move to the next string closest to your toes, go up two frets towards the soundhole, that note is your 5th. For example if I fret the A string at the third fret, that note is a C, If I move to the E string and fret at the same third fret, that note is a G, which is also the 5th. If I go to the D string and move up two frets to the 5th fret, that note is also the 5th (also another G). It will work pretty anywhere on the fretboard as long as the B string is not involved. In that case you have to adjust by a fret.

irtrogdor · 03-16-2007, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe F

There are many ways to transition from one song to the next based on the original key and the new key and how long you want to take to get there.

The quickest down and dirty way without a lot of fanfare is to simply go to the chord that is the 5th of the new key, suspend it, then drop the suspension and then hit the new key. If you can count out scale steps to note names it's pretty simple.

For example lets say I end a song that is the key of G. More than likely the last chord will be G. Now I want to go to a new song that is in the key of D, and most likely D will be the first chord.

G (Song End) Transition - Asus - A - D (New song beginning)

A more complete transition might be: G - Em7 - Asus - A - D but just dropping in the suspended 5th of the new song can get you by. Some folks like the flavor of the 7 chords and might use an A7 before hitting the D.

Here's why A is the 5th. Use the major scale. Start at D. You get D(1) (E)2 (F#)3 (G)4 A(5)

Here's another simple example. Ending a song in G, starting a new song in C. I'll use the 5th of C. Here we have a case where the last chord in the first song just happens to end on what is the 5th of the new song. I could just barge right into the key of C song, but to do it a little more gently...

(End) G Transition G7sus - G7 - C (Beginning)

G is the 5th of C because if you follow the C major scale, it goes like this C(1) D(2) E(3) F(4) G(5)

I'm a little rusty at explaining this as it's been a few centuries since I studied theory, but at least that's how I recall it. After playing for so long, I rarely think about what I am actually doing and just "flow" it.

If you don't know your scales, learn to identify the note under your finger when you fret a string.

Place your finger on any fret. On the next string closest to your chin if you fret at the same place, that note is your 5th. If instead you move to the next string closest to your toes, go up two frets towards the soundhole, that note is your 5th. For example if I fret the A string at the third fret, that note is a C, If I move to the E string and fret at the same third fret, that note is a G, which is also the 5th. If I go to the D string and move up two frets to the 5th fret, that note is also the 5th (also another G). It will work pretty anywhere on the fretboard as long as the B string is not involved. In that case you have to adjust by a fret.

that was most execelent and helpful.

psalm63adam · 03-17-2007, 09:48 AM

I guess I should have said that the easiest way is to keep the key the same or close, not necessarily the best all the time.

Jfool · 05-11-2007, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtrdave

...Spiritual - combined with the above, a short prayer or a related Scripture reading between songs can add a flow but too much is, imho, a bad thing...not much else distracts me from listening to God as someone else talking between every song.
Someone once told me to follow the rule "If God hasn't led you to say anything, don't"...

...Spend time with God with just you and the guitar and some songs of praise and they will eventually flow out of you.

This thread is awesome.

I had to stop praying between songs altogether for a couple of months because it wasn't working most of the time. When it worked was because I prayed specifically prior to the service and was lead by the Holy Spirit. Prayer is not a "filler" and never should be used in that way. Instrumental interludes are an excellent time for the congregation to pray and just personally connect with God. Moving the capo is something I try to avoid through set design, but I've broken that rule too.